Excessive head and face sweating

Hi Eileen, the face mask is part of a machine which is plugged in and delivers small electric shocks to the affected areas, i wish i could remember what it is called.  I do know they are very expensive.  I asked for botox and was told it didn't work for sweating - well, it does!  They just don't want to give it to me on the NHS because it is so expensive.  I agree with you, sadly this IS an illness with devastating 'side effects', i.e. loss of social life and unable to do anything in the warm weather - and I don't mean hot weather, I mean warm.  I don't sweat at night, mercifully, but i have a lightweight duvet.  My armpits, feet etc. don't sweat at all, nor my hands, which are always very dry.  I wish the health professionals would realise this is not just bothersome, but crippling.  No, there is no pain, but i would not wish this on my worst enemy.  I too suffer from fibromyalgia and RA, and sometimes i think i will stop taking all the meds and see if that helps.  I would seriously prefer pain that the discomfort and embarrassment of this horrible illness.  I hope you find some relief, let me know if you do, and of course i will do the same.  Take care, Gill

Electrophoresis or ionophoresis I think is what the machine procedure is called.

Eileen, go to a dermatologist and try glycopyrrolate. It's amazing! Read my other posts below on it too, regarding my experience. You don't have to lose friends. This can help! Just be prepared to drink a lot of water for the dry mouth. Totally worth it

hello!

what's your dosage for glycopyrolate ? 2mg per day ?

how to counter dry mouth please ? in my job is very important I'm fluent speaker and when I tried 3mg of glycopyrolate it reduced 60% of my hh but I barely couldn't speak! help please! 

Sorry to respond so late.. i take between 2 and 3 mg once per day in the morning. I have found that i have to break the pills up into quarters to get them to dissolve faster. I also take with warm water and keep an empty stomach until they kick in.

Have you tried the oral Bioten products. There is a spray you can take in your purse. There are mouth swabs and I start my day with the mouth wash. This works very well fir dry mouth. It is available at most drug stores or Walmart,targets. I hope this helps.

I have the same problem, and I do know that

Gingerale (Soda) relieves dry mouth, there is something about Ginger root that does something for it. But it works wonders!!

Hi again, Bill. I’m having a tough time figuring out when to take it! Now I’m trying it when I wake up about 1ish for a potty break. This hasn’t worked so great either. I have meds that I have to take in the morning & others at bedtime. What times work well for you?

Hello, I see this is a very old post, but I would love to discuss this with you. I see that you have fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis and you mentioned that you thought you should stop taking all your medications to see if there's a change. I too have fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis as well as a few other autoimmune diseases and I starting to suffer from this. It is terrible my hair becomes absolutely soaked like I just came out of the shower and I have very long hair. I'm new to this forum so I don't know if there is an area for private discussions? But I would love to find out if you found anything that worked for you, I really believe this has something to do with are autoimmune diseases or the medications we take for them. Thank you

Hi Missy,

I was 33 when things all started but diagnosed when I was 38. I started sweating before being on all these meds, I was working at the time and I started noticing that when I bent my head I could just feel the water running down my face through my hair and down my neck. It's had such an affect on me that I won't go out anywhere. I've still not found a solution, I've tried the herbal root and blackcosh but nothing. I've got a big wedding next month and I am working myself up something terrible over it. I have been looking this week actually to see if their is anything new out but I've found nothing. This fibro has ruined my life, i know I have alot of other problems but fibro has taken over my life. If i do find anything I will let u know. XXX

Hi Jenny,

I was 33 when when things all started but 38 when I was diagnosed with fibro. I was working when I noticed that every time I bent my head water would run down my face through my hair & down my neck for no reason and I wasn't on many meds then like I am today, so I do believe it is definitely part of having fibro. It has had such a big affect on my life that I won't go out anywhere because of the sweating. I've still not found a solution but not through trying, I've gone down the herbal route and tried blackcosh but nothing.

I have a big wedding next month and I am already stressing over it and working myself up over it. I've been looking this week actually to see if their is anything new out but i found nothing. Fibro as ruined my life, I know I have alot of other problems to but fibro has taken over my life. If i find anything I will let you know.XXX

Hi Missy I went thru the same s**t sweat just pouring down my face n my hair always soaked I felt disgusting while everyone stares at u like ur sum type of freak I was on here talking to sum1 n he said his Dr tried him on Oxybutynin n it worked wonders so I got on it too n my hyperhydrosis is gone no more sweating like a pig u should try it hung it really works

Sorry not hun not hung lol😁

Defiantly going to the doctors tomorrow, I read what the gentleman said and googled it and I have written everything down for my doctor. They are not going to tell me anymore their is nothing they can do for this disgusting head sweating, it's ruined my life for far to long because I only have to think about it and it starts, enough is enough I won't take no for an answer. Thank u for taking the time out of yr day to respond to me. XXX

Can i just ask how long it took until u noticed the change. I have a big wedding August the 11th and I am so worked up about this what I call over heating I can smell the heat coming of my body. One thing I am so gratefull for is I have never suffered with Body odour ( B.O ) thank God because I dread to thing what I would smell like. I won't go anywhere because of it, it's so degrading. XXX

I went with the Robinul generic due to it having less of an impact on cognitive function (doesn't cross brain blood barrier). I will say that after taking this for roughly 7 years, it works well on an empty stomach (first thing I do when I wake up and nothing but water for two hours after). I started on .5mg 7 years ago and I'm up to 3mg per day now. I try to take days off of it if I know I'm not going anywhere... To reduce my tolerance. Overall it has completely changed my life though. Def find the med that works for you.

Definitely start something as soon as possible though so you can determine how to get the meds to work best for you. It has been a life saver for me at weddings and social events. I no longer am running to the bathroom to find paper towels.

Hi Bill,

Just cime of the phone from my doctor and he has put me on Clonidine Hydrochloride 2 tablets 2 times a day.

He asked me where the people taking this medication from America.

Glycopyorrate

Robinual generic

Oxybutyninn

I said i didn't know but he wasn't happy putting me on them, I asked him why and he said Oxybutyninn was for the bladder and he had never heard of anyone being put on them for excessive sweating, and the other 2 he wasn't familiar with. I am not very happy because Clonidine Hyperchloride is for hot flushes but i have to try it for a week if it works carry on if not then he will put me on something else. Thank you Bill because at least now i will get some help and hopefully for the wedding my hair will stay perfect and be able to have my make up done and not to have to carry loads & loads of tissues and a flannel to keep running under cold water to cool me down, fingers toes and whatever else I can cross. XXX

Dear Missy,I'm on Clonidine 3 times a day and it has helped me.Best wishes Bernie

Hi Bernipov16,

Has it helped with excessive head sweating and what strength do u take, plus have had bad side effect and how long before u noticed it

Started to work, thank you. X

Hi, I'm located in Florida. I initially received an RX from my dermatologist and eventually my primary care started filling it for me. I have found that a lot of doctors don't seem to care much for patients with hh... It's like they don't understand. My dermatologist was more willing to try things for hh than my primary care.

The only thing that works for my sweating is anticholinergic medication. I have been on sedatives and still sweat but am just more tired.

For me it has to do with chemical triggers in my brain associated to choline. My sweating is not a result as much of environmental factors or hot flashes. The anticholinergic meds shut down the receptors that trigger my sweating.

I have also found in the us that there are over the counter oxbutynin patches that some have had success with.

One more thing... For a quick fix, you could use a stick of 72 hour antiperspirant and rub it on forehead and hair... Give it some time to absorb into your skin... And then towel it off before you get ready for the day. It helps me in a pinch. Has to be there very strong 72 hour stuff though.. and I don't do it on a regular basis.

I understand your concern, Missy7581! 

Clonidine Hydrochloride is used to treat high blood pressure, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, tic disorders, withdrawal (from either alcohol, opioids, or smoking), migraine, menopausal flushing, diarrhea, and certain pain conditions. The adverse effects include sedation, dry mouth, and low blood pressure. I've heard a big problem is that it causes sleepiness or extreme fatigue and is also used as a sleeping aid!  Seems like a lot of potential side affects to stop the sweating. 

Wish we could find something less dangerous!

Hi Gatorsxray,

The doctor did explain that to me plus I googled it aswell. He wants me to start off by taking 1 x 2 a day for a couple of days just to be on the safe side, then in a couple of days if I feel ok I can up them to 4 x 2 a day. If i don't suit them then he will put me on something else. I suffer withe dry eye & mouth anyway and I take medication for that but i am on a lot of medication so he wants to make things safe for me. I am going to give them a go cos I can't live like this any longer. X

Hi Bill09319

I have actually tried that in the past but it did nothing for me. I don't suffer with Body odour I never have thank God because the amount of water that runs down my face, neck my head is unreal. My hair gets so wet I look like I have stepped out of the shower before I have even gone in. The heat that comes of my body makes the mirror steam up and the windows in the car if I am driving, but i don't go out anywhere now it's to embarrassing. X

Hi Bill09319,

I mentioned that to him and he said Oxybutyninn was for the bladder and he had never heard of anyone being put on them for excessive sweating so he wouldn't give me them.

I mentioned the other 2 Robinal generics & Glycopyorrate and he said I am not familiar with them So explained about Clonidine and to give them a try and if they do nothing for me to ring up and he will try me on something else. X

Missy7581, I don't blame you. Seems like only the people with this problem take it seriously as a quality of life issue. Sometimes you are willing to do anything to stop it! It is so crazy to have to schedule your whole life around sweating, but I have to have schedule showering and washing my hair on mornings where I don't have to be at work early, or have meetings that I have to look "put together" because I can't look put together with this head sweating. My hair looks like I've just gotten out of a shower or pool. My makeup runs off or just smears around in circles when I try to put it on after showering!  It's very hard to blow dry because it just won't dry while I'm sweating at the same time.

I have a wall air conditioner in my dressing room that I can control with a remote, and a wind tunnel fan to blow the cold air onto me while I'm getting showered and dressed. I stand in front of that while blow drying my hair, so I'm shivering with the cold and my head is sweating at the same time! LOL.  At least I'm not as miserable.

If I wasn't already on so many other meds I would consider trying the Clonidine as well.  I already take a Blood Pressure med, so maybe I could try the Clonidine to see if it helps the sweating and BP.  Unfortunately almost everything I now take makes me sleepy as a side effect. I have a full time and two part-time jobs so I don't like to take anything else that adds to my sleepiness.

Good luck with the Clonidine. Let us know if it works for your problem and if you experience side effects.

The dermatologist put me on Robinul two pills twice a day. After almost three weeks I don’t see much success. I looked up Clonidine and saw it was used for high blood pressure. Did you have high blood pressure?  I’m already on BP meds and wondered if you were and they changed your meds. I’m 73 and instead of getting better as I age it’s getting worse. I’m very active so when I don’t do anything but stay inside and do nothing I’m ok. Even if I sit outside on a hot day and do nothing my hair drips. So disgusting!!

hi jeannie i am 35 from ohio and i also suffer from HH. the only thing the doctors have said is there is no cure. i asked for the oxybutynin basically in tears and she wouldnt give it to me. shes a practitioner an shes not aloud. so now i gotta wait an see the actual doc cause its for off label use. go figure. i dont like to leave my house much because all i do is sweat. and then sweat more. all around my hair line. its definately a quality of life problem for me. sure hope yours gets better an mine as well.

That sounds promising, bill09319. I read a little bit about it, and it sounds like it could be helpful for me. Of course getting a doctor to prescribe something like that when I am already on a whole bunch if meds is going to be very difficult, and unlikely. My problem isn't hot flashes or environmental. Thanks for the info.

Hi Gatorxray,

I will do, I explained to him that it wasn't just hot flushes that it was severe sweating its just so embarrassing. It affects my head, neck, face and my hair is soaking and I just have to sit in the chair and it starts, god forbid when I start to move. They are for blood pressure plus flushes but that's what he was willing for me to try first because I take so much other medication, plus it causes low blood pressure, so at this point I will try anything but like he said if they don't work and u don't suffer much side effects then he will try me on something else fingers crossed. XXX

Hi Jeannie16346,

No i dont suffer with high blood pressure but one of the side affects is low blood pressure.XXX

Well i have been on Chlonidine since Monday & it's now Wednesday and I got up this morning without soaking everuthing, i have just cleaned my kitchen & conservatory and I am hot & abit sticky but no actual water is running of me, where normally I just have to take a few steps and I can feel it coming out of my pores then starts running down my head, neck, face my hair is normally drenched by now. I hope this isn't just a coincidence and it is the Chlonidine working for me and that I have not spoken to soon because I will be devastated. If in about 2 wks I am still the same and I now then will know it's worked straight away I won't take them everyday as I won't need to unless I am going somewhere because I am already on so much medication. I honestly thought he was going to look at all my meds and say no but thank God he said no. I will let u know day by day for the first 2 wks if I am still not drenched in water, I feel positive & excited at the same time just hope I've not jinxed myself. XXX

Hi Jeannie16346

I started on Chlonidine on Monday 2 x 50mg twice a day, and I hope this is not a coincidence but i see a big difference already. I didn't get up once last night through being soaked through and this morning I cleaned the kitchen and conservatory and not one drop of sweat run anywhere. Normally I would just start sweating by walking to the kitchen but not today. I was hot and abit sticky but not one sign of sweat. I just hope I've not spoken to soon and that it is down to the Chlonidine. Today I can honestly say I am looking forward to see what happens over the next 2 wks with Clonidine and I pray to God that today is not just a fluke and its the beginning of my future. XXX

Missy7581 this is FANTASTIC news! I hope, as you say, that this is not a fluke and is truly an improvement from the Clonidine. If this holds, I will definitely be asking my doctor if I can try it too!! I see my cardiologist next month anyway for my annual heart eval and he is the one who put me on my current BP medication. My BP has been creeping up some, so maybe this can solve both issues at once if he is willing to try it and it doesn't have known contraindications or interactions with my other meds.  Thanks for the update! I am so excited for you! Keep us posted.

I will, it's early days yet but i am hoping this is working, Just going to take one day at a time and like u said yr on blood pressure tablets and if this works then it's killing 2 birds with one stone. Will keep everyone updated. XXX

Please keep me informed because the Robinol isn’t working for me. I’m praying this works for you. At least one if us will feel  human again!!

Hi Jeannie, how are you taking the Robinul? Empty stomach and not with any other pills at the same time? Also what dose are you on?

It only works for me if I take it first thing in the morning (after fasting overnight) and don't have any food or drink other than water for 2 hours following taking it. Also, if I take another medication with it, even Advil, it doesn't work. I have to take it completely on its own. Once it kicks in though, the effects have been life changing for me. I hope you find something that works.

I will do Jeannie16346. XXX

Do you not take any medication on a daily basis?  I take several and I’m wondering if I should wait two afters after taking the Robinol before I take them. 

I don't like the idea of having to take drugs to stop sweating, especially something like clonidine. It is used for  high blood pressure and literature states certain formulations can also treat ADHD and cancer pain.  It is considered a sedative and antihypertensive drug.  Yikes.  What irritates the crap out of me is that no Doctor talks about what is causing the head sweating, just talks about treating it with more meds.  From everything I've read, the thyroid or pituitary gland is the problem and there again, no Doctors are willing to prescribe outside the norm for people who actually have thyroid problems. The standard testing is still using charts created 100 years ago so it states you are in the normal range when in fact most people aren't because the range is so WIDE!  Has anyone in this conversation ever read anything from the [u]"Thyroid mom's"[/u] blog website? Everything that's been discussed, right down to heart issues can be a result of thyroid not being treated properly. This woman, after years of feeling like she was sick and not functioning well found a doctor that treated her thyroid, not with just the synthetic thyroid drug they all push, but with dessicated thyroid (Armour) and that's when she could see a light at the end of the tunnel for her well being.  My grandma had the same issue, my brother and I suffer from it also.  http://www.thyroidmom.com/  My grandmother, my mother, and now me, all have congestive heart. We all have thyroid issues, but not being treated with Armour, just the synthetic drug that hardly changes anything.  I found this article https://hypothyroidmom.com/86-year-old-mans-congestive-heart-failure-resolved-with-thyroid-treatment/ and it blew me out of the water.  Will a doctor prescribe it? Very few.  Why is that? Because they don't get kick backs?  I want the problem treated, not the symptom of the problem. Clonidine comes with too many side effects and withdrawals to boot. Not for me.

Hi, yes, I wait two hours before I take any other medication. I have a free other pills I take daily, and I've found the Robinul doesn't work when I take it with literally anything else at all. After 2 hours though, no problem.

I was told hyper hydrosiss for me is that my body does not know how to regulate hot, cold, etc.  It is under the umbrella of dysautonomia.  I have tried drugs, hypnosis, accupuncture and on and one  and I am so done with all of this.  I do not have a thyroid problem.  I am 72 in good shape and also have been suffering for years.  I did the botox.  It helped but my heat comes from within and I am boiling inside.  I can go on and on but I am over this at this point.  

There is a new drug that has been FDA approved for sweating for armpits.  I saw my doctor and she is following up on this for me.  

  Excessive Armpit Sweating? FDA Approves New Drug From Dermira. 

This will not be released until October.  Their office is going to follow up for me regarding if it will help for our problem and if she can get samples.  

She suggested that I get on that site and start asking questions which I will be doing

Diana

i have just been prescribed clonidone been taking it for a month but doesnt seem to help and makes me feel funny